Would you like to be part of my research?

Would you like to be part of my research? November 29th, 2008 · No Comments All over the world, at any given moment, people are being told that they need to have surgery: back surgery, shoulder surgery, knee replacements, hip replacements, hysterectomies…you get the picture. For almost 20 years I have been assisting people who are having surgery to find the perfect music for them. Now I have created my surgical serenity headphones and downloads so that anyone can use music with their surgery at any time! Now I need to gather some data specific to my surgical serenity music that I have chosen for my first-time-ever downloads of music for surgery. I need to get not only data, but testimonials! If YOU or someone you know is planning to have surgery, please let me know and I will send them a free download in exchange for some basic information about their before and after subjective experience of the procedure and a sentence or two about the experience. I will offer this special, time-limited opportunity until I have gathered at least 100 testimonials. Get your requests in NOW! Sincerely, Alice H. Cash, Ph.D., LCSW

Music before Day Surgery--are there benefits?

This interesting research comes from England. Apparently many patients feel they've been abandoned as they wait for their surgery. If they were given their wireless, pre-programmed headphones prior to surgery, this would undoubtedly calm some of their pre-surgery jitters! Gilmartin J, Wright K. School of Healthcare Studies, Baines Wing, University of Leeds, Leeds UK. j.gilmartin@leeds.ac.uk BACKGROUND: The rapid expansion in day surgery has facilitated a shift in surgical nursing intervention. The evolving evidence base has a major part to play in influencing nurse-led preassessment, information provision, pain management and postoperative intervention. However, the literature is characterised by a number of deficits: poor attention to patient experience from admission to discharge, anxieties evoked and the potential needs of patients are not well articulated. AIM: The purpose of this paper is to describe and interpret patients' experiences of contemporary day surgery. METHOD: This hermeneutic phenomenological approach focused on the experience of 20 adult patients. Data was collected by using unstructured interviews. The transcripts were interpreted through the identification of four prevalent themes using the phenomenological method. FINDINGS: The themes that emerged from the data are emphasised, ranging from the feeling of empowerment during preparation, through apprehensions encountered and the feeling of abandonment in the preoperative waiting area, to recovery dynamics. CONCLUSION: The study demonstrates that the majority of the patients felt abandoned in the preoperative stage and nurses did not recognise the importance of ongoing psychological support. Therefore, it is crucial to strengthen the provision of emotional support and person-centred care in a day surgery context. There is also a need to be aware that environmental factors can impact on patient anxiety, promoting the use of music preoperatively can reduce anxiety and increase well-being. RELEVANCE FOR CLINICAL PRACTICE: Crucially health professionals need to facilitate person-centred and continuity of care throughout the day surgery experience. Using dynamic interpersonal skills, such as active listening 'holding''containment' and attunement to reduce anxiety and feelings of abandonment in the preoperative period. Moreover, being alert to verbal utterances, para-language and non-verbal cues demonstrated by the patient. Specific information about delays regarding the timing of procedures needs to be carefully explained. PMID: 18705721 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]